EAST Thanksgiving 2025
A glimpse of EAST Thanksgiving 2025
On 7 November 2025, EAST Community gathered for a time of Thanksgiving as the students ended their classes. This cohort of students comprise of nationalities from 12 countries including Cambodia, Germany, India, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The event kicked off with a warm welcome by emcee Jing Fei (Singapore) wearing a Peranakan themed shirt (ready for the “Ethnic Fashion Show” afterwards). Then our youngest student Isaac Do (Vietnam) teamed up with Ruth Hmway (Myanmar) to lead the crowd in an exciting time of games. The first question was, “What is the main purpose of Thanksgiving for Christians?” Dr Samuel, an EAST faculty, shouted, “To eat turkey!” He recanted by stating, “To thank God for His blessings!”
Student Themreiso: So Much More Than Assignments
Below is a reflection by second year student Themreiso Awungshi (MA in Biblical Studies) from Manipur, India, from what he had gleaned from his time at EAST.
The last month has been deeply humbling and faith-strengthening for me. I have seen spiritual leaders around me live out their faith with love, concern, and passion for God’s work and their lives have inspired me to walk more closely with God.
On the first day of class, I saw our professor, Dr Roland Tan—a loving, caring teacher and experienced leader—cleaning the ground with a water hose. His humble act of service demonstrated true servant leadership. I was deeply moved and inspired to become like him. It reminded me of Jesus’ words: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26, NIV).
Dr Roland cleaning the ground with a water hose.
Dr Lewis Winkler: Summative Project Reflection
If you were to reflect on your growth experiences in the past couple of years, what would they be? How would it affect your present faith journey and ministry? Below is a brief reflection by Dr Lewis Winkler, EAST Resident Faculty of Systematic Theology, about what the graduating cohort of students have experienced at EAST.
The Summative Project gives graduating students the opportunity to reflect upon and share about what God has taught, wrought, and accomplished in and through them during the course of their studies at EAST.
In Memory of Alumna Lim-Bay Wan Jee
In Memory of Lim-Bay Wan Jee (1973-2025), EAST Alumna 2007, MDiv ICS
On 8 March 2025, EAST Community lost one of our best and brightest students who graduated in 2007 with a Master of Divinity in Intercultural Studies – Bay Wan Jee. The Lord has called her home. All who know her and have been touched by her gentleness and warmth will cherish our memories with her in our hearts. She graduated from EAST with an Academic Excellence Award, earned by those who are top of their MDiv cohort academically. Wan Jee has also served as a missionary with Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) for 15 years after her graduation from EAST. Her ministry was with the elderly in Japan. But when she was undergoing cancer herself and had to go through pain, hers was also a ministry of pain among cancer patients whom she could relate to and empathise with.
Wan Jee married later in life with Siah Chuan on 31 December 2021 and though the Lord had only granted them over three years together, they loved each other deeply. Below is Siah Chuan’s heartfelt tribute of Wan Jee:
MG Retreat 2025
The beginning of January traditionally begins with a Mentoring Group Retreat for the EAST Community and this year was no different, except the location has shifted from Changi Village or Katong to Loyang, still in the eastern part of Singapore. The retreat was held at the Center for Performance Transformation (CPT) Training and Camp Centre. The surroundings were lush with greenery and it was by the seaside, a perfect location where one could spend an afternoon of personal reflection time and worship God.
The meat of the retreat was having Rev Dr Chua Chung Kai share from his heart with the EAST Community. The theme was “Returning to the Way of the Master”. On the first day, he spoke on “Searching for Greatness”. He shared from the text of Mark 10:35-45 where Jesus’ disciples had argued with one another about who was the greatest, It is a natural desire in all of us to want to be somebody and there is nothing wrong with that, as every single one of us is made in the image of Jesus, made in the image of God. However, Asians tend to be less straightforward about acknowledging this desire as opposed to the Westerners. Often, we have both the wrong ideas about greatness and wrong indicators for greatness. How we measure greatness may not be how the Lord measure it.
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